Residential Landscaping Services – From Blah To Impressive

Who doesn’t love a lush, green expanse of grass surrounding their home? Americans sure do. We spend over $15.9 billion on lawn care and gardening services. Moreover, having a well-kept lawn helps maintain your home’s curb appeal and property value. But, with your job and running the kids to their activities, there just isn’t time to weed, fertilize, and mow. You may be considering using residential landscaping services to keep your turf healthy and trim. One of the best landscape contractors in the area is Landscape Solutions & Design, Inc.

Let us relieve you of your gardening duties! Offering both residential and commercial landscaping services, we serve many customers throughout the greater Piedmont area. We believe a good personal relationship with our clients is the key to providing an excellent experience. Combining your vision with our knowledge and experience will produce results beyond your expectations.

A Brief History of Lawns

How did we become so obsessed with bluegrass, ryegrass, and fescues? It started hundreds of years ago, during medieval times. The areas around castles were probably the earliest lawns. Cleared of trees and bushes, these grassy spaces gave guards an unobstructed view of visitors, including enemies. As time progressed, the wealthy land owners in Northwestern Europe cultivated grass around their homes. Lawns flourished as the local weather of the area was perfect for turfgrass.

Immigrants to America found native grasses wouldn’t produce the same tidy expanse of green as in English gardens. Moreover, English grasses couldn’t thrive in our American weather. Determined to replicate the beauty of cultivated lawns, gardeners began experimenting. They imported seeds from other countries to find one suitable for our climate. Over time, gardeners found a combination of seed that thrived within our borders.

Unfortunately, another problem existed. There was no easy way to keep the grass trim. Many estate owners maintained the grass length by hiring laborers to cut the lawn with scythes. Others allowed livestock to graze on their greens. Neither proved suitable for the common homeowner.

Then in 1830, an engineer from England received a patent for the first push lawnmower. Now, cutting grass required less manpower, thus lowering the cost of upkeep. However, it took until the early 1900s for companies to start producing gasoline-powered mowers. Mechanization made keeping a trim lawn even easier.

The changing American landscape in the early 1940s and ‘50s saw the rise of the subdivision and suburbia. Abraham Levitt, the father of suburbia, constructed homes on small plots of land surrounded by lawns, a new concept. People flocked to buy one of Levitt’s homes on Long Island. Some historians claim over 1,000 Levittown homes sold within a few hours. Nevertheless, these homes, surrounded by an oasis of green grass, transformed America’s yards.

Maintaining A Healthy Lawn Isn’t A DIY Project

Lush, healthy grass takes much more than watering and fertilizing. While it’s true these are important tasks, your lawn will still look sickly if the pH isn’t correct. Or if you have an insect infestation.

Therefore, a landscaper will start by taking a high-quality soil test. Most grasses need a pH between 5.8 and 7.2. When the pH lies outside of this range, grass cannot use the nutrients present in the soil. The presence of moss or certain types of weeds can indicate the need for lime to restore the pH balance. You can apply all the fertilizer you want, but if your pH is off, it’ll have little effect.

Once you have the pH of your lawn within range, you can add fertilizer. Generally, you should apply fertilizer several times per year. Moreover, the fertilizer should address the specific needs of your lawn. A professional, experienced lawn care service, like Landscape Solutions & Design, will know exactly which fertilizer to apply and when.

In the springtime, the soil temperature is key. 55° is the optimal temperature. Usually, the soil warms to this degree in late spring, between April and June. This is the time weeds begin actively growing and the best time to apply a weed-and-feed product.

Then, feeding your grass in the summer helps strengthen against drought and heat. Finally, fertilizing in the late summer/early fall prepares your grass for the upcoming winter months. This is also the time broadleaf weeds begin growing again so you’ll probably want to add a weed killer too.

Insect Infestation Can Also Destroy Your Lawn

You can correct the pH, apply fertilizer, and water, yet your grass can still have yellow or brown patches. Insect infestation is another problem that plagues many lawns. In addition, bugs can attract animals that will also destroy your turf.

Grubs are one of the most common lawn pests. They love to munch on the roots of your grass, killing off large sections. But grubs attract other pests that will also damage your lawn.

Moles feed on grubs, tunneling under your yard, pushing large amounts of dirt to the surface. Their tunnels attract voles which use the tunnels to eat your grass. Other animals such as raccoons, skunks, opossums, and birds will also destroy your lawn hunting for grubs.

Chinch bugs are another common lawn pest. These insects feed by sucking the moisture out of your grass blades. Yellow or brown spots that don’t respond to watering, may indicate a chinch bug infestation.

Additionally, armyworms, mole crickets, fire ants, spittlebugs, and a few other critters can cause extensive damage to your lawn. Without knowing which pest is destroying your yard, you won’t know how to properly treat it. Plus, applying pesticides requires careful handling. Thus, you’ll want a qualified lawncare service with the appropriate certifications to apply pesticides.

What to Do About Those Exposed Tree Roots

Undoubtedly, trees are an important landscaping element. They provide privacy, shade, beauty, and can lower your cooling costs. But, when your favorite tree starts showing its roots in your lawn, it can create a nuisance. Not only are exposed tree roots hard to mow around, but they’re also a tripping hazard.

Maple, beech, and willow trees are very susceptible to exposed roots. However, erosion and hard compacted soil can also cause many tree roots to surface. Whatever the cause, you need to be careful in your solution so as not to damage the tree.

Mulch always produces a good result. Covering tree roots with mulch insulates them and discourages foot traffic. An attractive arrangement of rocks is another good option.

While you may be considering covering the tree roots with soil, this isn’t the best choice. Most likely, the tree roots will resurface within a few years. Additionally, adding too much soil may deprive the tree of needed oxygen and water. Thus, in trying to fix your landscaping problem, you may harm your tree.

An experienced landscaper can help design a solution that looks beautiful and protects your tree. At Landscape Solutions & Design we’ve helped many homeowners find an option that works for them. Maintaining the health of your plants while providing the most usable space is just one of our specialties.

How to Find the Right Lawncare Team

Just as not all landscaping companies are alike, no two homeowners have the same landscaping needs. Thus, the first step in hiring a landscape service is deciding what type of residential landscaping services you want. Landscape services range from lawn care to landscape design and installation.

Once you’ve determined your needs, then it’s time to sort through the contractors who can perform the services you want. Residential landscaping services vary greatly. Some companies only maintain your grass. Others are landscape architects that can transform your outdoor living space with lighting and hardscapes.

After determining your needs, check to make sure the landscape contractor has a license from the state of North Carolina. Pesticide treatment to eliminate pests from your turf requires a license as well. Memberships in trade associations and certifications are indicators of a high level of knowledge and competency in their field.

Both landscaping and lawncare workers experience a higher rate of injuries than other professions. Your landscape contractor should carry both business liability insurance and workers’ compensation to protect you from potential lawsuits.

Good communication skills are a must and you should feel comfortable with your landscaper. Your contractor should specify the exact details of your project in a well-written contract. Additionally, your landscaper should show you how the final design will look before starting the work. Finally, ask for several references and be sure to follow up on them

How Much Will Residential Landscaping Services Cost?

Landscape service pricing is as varied as the work itself. Even with the same type of job like mowing the grass, certain factors can affect your cost. For example, a larger yard will take longer to mow than a smaller one thus increasing labor costs.

Other factors such as your soil type will affect your pricing too. In North Carolina, we have over 50 different types of dirt. If you have heavy clay dirt, you’ll want a grass with a tough root system that grows deep. While a sandy soil requires turf with roots that absorb water and nutrients effectively in the quick-draining soil. Your choice of seed product ranges in cost from about $3 to $10 per pound.

The topography of your yard is a big factor in pricing as well. A steeply sloped yard or a wooded lot all need thoughtful consideration. Sometimes these factors make a yard harder to work on. Other times, you may need to plan for additional services to control erosion or runoff.

Then too, projects vary considerably in cost. Building a hardscape such as a retaining wall is much more expensive than rejuvenating a lawn. The best way to determine the cost of any landscaping service is to ask for an estimate.

At Landscape Solutions & Design, Inc. we provide all our customers with a free consultation. We’ll view your property, listen to your ideas, and develop an option based on your needs and budget. Then we’ll present you with a detailed cost estimate with a time frame for completion.

Transform Your Yard into An Oasis of Beauty

Now ’tis spring, and weeds are shallow-rooted; Suffer them now and they’ll o’ergrow the garden.

William Shakespeare, Henry VI

Neglecting our yards at almost any time of the year can have disastrous results. Once you let weeds gain a foothold, they’re difficult to remove. Applying the right weed-and-feed to your turf at the correct time will keep your lawn green and lush. But, with your hectic schedule, you often miss these key dates. Using the residential landscaping services of Landscape Solutions & Design will keep your yard the envy of the neighborhood.

Serving the greater Piedmont area, Lake Norman and beyond, we offer a wide range of landscaping services. Lawn maintenance, garden design, and construction of hardscapes are some of our services. We can handle hardscape projects from a small water feature to a retaining wall, to a fully-equipped outdoor kitchen. Our company has been in business for over 15 years and our team focuses on improving your property to increase both the value and the curb appeal of your home or business. Kostas, our owner, is a hands-on professional who ensures that every project meets or exceeds our clients’ expectations.

We’ve transformed properties all over central North Carolina and we can improve yours too. Call us at 336-442-0160 to set up an appointment. Remember, fall is one of the best times to kill weeds before they overtake your garden!